Plan For Park Opposed

Homeowners Appeal To Council To Stop Riverfront Proposal

GLASTONBURY — A crowd of South Glastonbury homeowners appealed to the town council Tuesday night to stop the plans for a proposed riverfront park in their neighborhood.

The 4-acre proposed park, which would be created at the end of Ferry Lane, was presented earlier this year to the town plan and zoning commission for a special permit.

That group, not the town council, will have the final say over whether the permit would be issued so the park could be built. But technically, since the town is the applicant, the council could stop the project by permanently withdrawing the application if it desired.

That seems unlikely to happen, however, based on the planning that has gone into the Ferry Lane park idea and the fact that residents townwide have demanded more public access to the Connecticut River.

Many of the 20 people who spoke at Tuesday's council meeting have signed a petition opposing the park proposal, worried it will draw traffic and hurt the ecology of the Nayaug neighborhood.

``It's a real treasure of an area,'' said Water Street resident John Cechini.

Martha Buck, one of many people who walk through the neighborhood to the ferry landing, said the rural and tranquil area is made for walking -- not for the traffic that they believe a riverfront park would generate.

``Nayaug doesn't need a park -- it is a park,'' she said.

Abutting landowners say they also are concerned about litter, trespassers, and pollution runoff onto their land, much of which is used for farming.

Town officials responded that they recognize the neighborhood's concerns, and Town Manager Richard Johnson said he has been talking with parks officials about the project.

``Obviously it's an understatement to say there are some concerns in the area about the park,'' Johnson said, looking out over the group of homeowners who came to the meeting Tuesday.

The town's plans call for creating a paved parking area, clearing out brush and poison ivy along the riverfront, and putting in an oval walking loop, picnic tables and benches.

Raymond Purtell, the town's director of parks and recreation, said this week that creating a modest, clean park at the ferry landing would give Glastonbury a better image to the many people who already visit the spot.

``Glastonbury has a unique opportunity here,'' he said Monday. ``We have a chance to provide safe, attractive public access and clean up this site.''

Also Tuesday night, the council discussed a proposal by the Glastonbury Police Department to increase fines charged for parking violations. At present, the fines are $5 and $10, making them easily the lowest in the region.

Department officials say they want the fines increased not as a punishment, but as a deterrent to reduce the number of illegal parking incidents.

The council did not vote on the proposal Tuesday, but expects to set a public hearing later this spring and vote after that.